We see open source as typically more of a suboption under "build." We’re going to buy a capability or we're going to build it; and when we build it we typically look at open source as a partial solution to the build. "Build" means it's our product, our intellectual property, we take it out to the market and we sell it. "Buy" means we buy it from somebody else and resell it. We would see open source as kind of a blend of those strategies, but very rarely would we take a pure "buy" option.
When you do use open source, is it pure open source or a supported version?
It's a mix. For the tools we deliver to our customer base -- operating systems, for example -- it would be a fully supported operating system. For the open source libraries and such, it would run the gamut all the way out to true open source.
Who supports the machines you put in hospitals?
Ultimately, we do. The first line of support typically is the hospital IT department, but they contract with us for Tier 2 and Tier 3 support, and tiers 1, 2 and 3 support of the application.
What's your experience been with supporting open source operating systems?
Like everyone else, it's been a journey. Initially we ran into issues and a number of problems with scalability, but I think today we would say it's a very good experience.
How long have you had open source-based products installed in customer locations?
Three to three and a half years.
Can you talk a bit more about initial problems?
We architected a load-balanced solution, and we had some difficulty with lost connections and issues with performance of some components. Operating-system support was generally pretty good; but in a healthcare environment, if you run into a problem, it can literally be a matter of life and death. If we had a downed system and couldn't figure it out ourselves pretty rapidly, we needed Tier 3 support right away. I think we've worked those relationships out. It's just a matter of the companies behind the products maturing in their business models, more than the technology itself.